USA | Water and non-alcoholic beverages will be on the menu as more customers switch their preferences.
As U.S. consumers gather together at restaurants to toast the holidays, water and other non-alcoholic beverages will likely be in many glasses. Half (50 percent) of consumers plan to dine at or order from restaurants for December holidays. When eating out for dinner, 61 percent of consumers say they typically order non-alcoholic beverages; 33 percent of consumers typically just drink water with most favouring tap water.
Restaurant operators say this is a growing trend—more than half (55 percent) report that more guests are choosing to drink water instead of ordering other beverages.
This is according to Popmenu's nationwide surveys of 874 U.S. consumers, ages 21 and older, and 365 U.S. restaurant leaders in September 2024 and 1,000 U.S. consumers in November 2024.
"Whether the choice is budget-driven, lifestyle-driven or just a matter of taste, water is becoming a go-to drink at restaurants," said Brendan Sweeney, CEO and Co-founder of Popmenu.
"However, we will continue to see a steady demand for spirits, wine, beer, and other beverages during holiday celebrations and beyond. Most restaurant operators say alcohol purchases by guests have remained the same or increased year over year. The same goes for soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages."
Half (50 percent) of restaurant operators who serve alcohol say alcohol purchases have remained the same year over year; 22 percent say they have increased while 28 percent say they have declined. On average, consumers say they spend around USD $30 on alcohol while having dinner at restaurants.
When asked to identify their preferred cocktail during holiday festivities, the most popular choice was a Margarita (as indicated by one in four consumers). Rounding out the top five were Whiskey Sour, Mimosa, Bloody Mary, and Old Fashioned. When ordering a cocktail, 46 percent of consumers specify top shelf.
More than half (58 percent) of restaurant operators say non-alcoholic beverage purchases have remained the same year over year; 24 percent say they have increased while 19 percent say they have declined. Most operators (59 percent) offer mocktails or non-alcoholic versions of beer, wine, and spirits.
When it comes to non-alcoholic options, it's no surprise that soft drinks are chosen most often (as indicated by 51 percent of consumers). Other top choices are water and tea.
When it comes to drinking water at restaurants, 42 percent of consumers prefer tap, 30 percent prefer bottled, and eight percent prefer sparkling; 20 percent of consumers say they don't drink water at restaurants.
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